Improvement in fruit-crates



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'NJFERSl PHOTD-UTHOGRAHEH. WASHINGTON. D. C. I

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` F-RANKR. VAN DAKnfor JACKSON, Mississippi.

`Laim Pattern. 95,169, dmasqfwmba 21V, 1869.

` FRUIT-@RATES The Schedule-referred to irntliese` LettersmPatent and making part of the same.

To all/whom 'it 'nm/y concern l Be it known that I, FRAN; R. VAN BAKE, of Jackson, Ain the county of Hinds,.and State of ,Mississipph haveinvented certain new and o useful YImprovements in Folding-Boxes or Cratesyand I dohereby declare `that the followingis `a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accom-` panying drawing, and to. the letters of reference' marked thereon, making part, of this specification, in whichl Figurel is a side viewof the Vbox or crate, one of the end pieces being-in position, and the other elevated.

"LFigur'e 2-is an end view-of the box open. Figures 3and 4 are side and end views Vof the box or cratefolded. i i

The object of my present invention is tocqnstruct a `fruit-box or crate, for the `reception and transportation of merchandise, produce, fruit, live stock, vegetables, poultry, Snc., that is cheap anddurable, its parts i being so arranged, that when the same has been emptied, and the end pieces thrown out, th ey maybe folded, uponone another, in compact form, for transportation.

I am aware that boxes and crates have heretdfole been used embracing the .same principle as mine-a g.,

l i -Mart-ins English patent of 1855,-No. 2,174; but I am noty aware thata box or crate has ever been constructed i on a principle similar .to mine that can possibly-be folded with the same compactness and, as the compact-ness with which the box is allowed to fold, for re-` transportation or storage, not only constitutes `the chief,

but, indeed, the only value 'of "having a box or crate r `so connected,V the superiority of my plan over Martinis,

and all others, will be'apparent. fMartins box, for instance, cannot possibly be folded so as to be reduced to le'ss than six thicknesses of the material, while by my arrangement; owing to the fact that the sides fold in between the anges of the top and bottom, and the end pieces or gates meeting, so as to form one" continuous piece, it is reduced, when folded, t only three thicknesses. `This I accomplish, and in'this rnyinvention consists,`by providing the topand bottom with cleats or strips, to which the side pieces are connected,

the same being done by loops formed in the brace-. bands, whereby hinged joints `are formed;

'Ihe 4e'nd pieces or gates are secured, in like manner, by loops, so that they arel made to swing in either direction, readilyfolding overon the top-of the box, whe-re they meet, and form, as it were, onecontin'uous piece.

, It will be seen that a box constructed in accordance with my plan will cost but little more than the ordinary dry-goods box,7 as I use the same style of bracebands, and the hinges are provided by loopsformed therein. A centre partition, running inI either direction, may be introduced, shonldpthe samebe deemed desirable.` u f To enable others skilled in the art to make and usevtrunkor crate-shape.

The top Aand bottom A' are each constructed in one piece.

The sides are constructed in two sections, B B', the width of each'being the same and a little less than onehalf the desired height of the box or crate.

On the inner surfaces of the top and'bottom pieces A A', and along each side edge thereof, is firmly secured, by the metallic bands C C, and a short braceband, c, a wooden strip orv cleat, a.

These cleats a a may be of any desired form, care being taken that they shall be slightly rounded on "their inner surfaces, so as to allow of the free movemeut of the4 side pieces B B.

These strips'or cleats a a are vrecessed at a' a', so as to allow a proper bearing for the loop-ends of the metallc'bands D D.v

'lhese bands D D are united by a hinged joint, at D', and are of such -length 'as to nearly encircle the entrefside pieces B B', each having a loop, at d, which v works freely around the recessed portion a of the strip` or cleat a, and also securing, on the inner surface, and near the outer end of each of the side pieces, a wooden strip or cleat,b.

These strips 'b b extend nearly theentire width of the pieces B B', and form, when the side is extended, v as it were, one continuouspieee, near each edge ofthe interior of the opening of the box.

Thesefstrips b b form a bearing-surface, against which rest similar strips` or cleats, e e, attached to the end/ pieces E/E, and by means of which the box is rmly and securely braced when opened.

- The end pieces E E and the strips e c are firmly secured together by means of the metallic bandsE E.

`These end pieces, or gates EVE, as they might prop. erly be termed, consist, each, of one piece, their length being the height of the side. pieces B B united, and

their width exactly such as to cover/the end of said side pieces when they are extended.

At the sides of the gates E E, a portion of their upper-surface is out away, as seen at c c', to allow of their free passage around the ends of the strips a al of the blocks g g, on the inner surface, by means of short and 4. To o'pen the box, you simply have to elevate looped ends of short bands GG, which are 'secured 1to the outer surface of the gate E, and to the bearingnails g g, or any other convenient means.

The operation of the box or crate is as'follows: In its folded condition, it is clearly shown in figs. 3

the top A, and turn downl one of the end pieces E, when the strips e e, entering between the sides of the box, and resting against the strips b b, williirmly secure and brace the box in the position shown in figs. 1 and 2. The box is then in condition to be filled, after which operation is completed, the remaining gate is then turned down, and, by means 'of the straps E E', rmly secured by lock, screw, seal, or other fastening.

Having thus fully described myinvention, l

What I claim therein as new, and desire -to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The top A and bottom A', each having cleats a a, side pieces B B', and end pieces E E, when the same ,are so connected together, by loops formed in the bracebands, that hinged joints are provided, whereby the box can be compactly foldedin three layers, thesides falling in between the cleats of the top and bottom, and the end pieces folding over, and meeting on either the top or bottom, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: FRANK R. VAN DAKE.

JAMES PRIEsTLY, J. B. LINDsnY. 

